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Genesis 22:1-19
"Mt. Everest!" • 4.1.10 • Thursday Night Bible Study
Intro
- There are not enough words in the English language, nor is there sufficient time to fully grasp that greatness of the chapter before us. It is at once wonderful and extremely difficult.
- We do best to proceed with our eyes and ears open and attentive to the Spirit's detailing.
- Some think that as many as 20 to 30 years have passed between the last chapter and this chapter. Abraham's focus has been on Isaac, his son with Sarah.
- Isaac's name, we have mentioned before, means "laughter." He has brought joy and laughter since his birth and with Ishmael gone, he has been that much more enjoyable.
- These have been good years. You don't want to interrupt good years. Seasons of health, happiness or prosperity, especially as we age, become more important to us.
- However long this season of time lasted, God comes in with a request that could only be seen as an unbelieveable shock to the system.
- Perhaps you have had this same experience. You are on the right path. You are living in the promises of God. Things are going smooth.
- That's when God calls your name and asks you to trust Him in a way that makes you wonder if you ever trusted Him before! That's where we are about to travel with Abraham.
- Significantly, as we are currently celebrating Passion week, this chapter carries that much more weight and power. We'll examine this passage from three different perspectives. We'll see:
I. The Father's Perspective (v.1-5)
II. The Son's Perspective (v.6-10)
III. The Lord's Perspective (v.11-19)
Text
I. The Father's Perspective (v.1-5)
• Genesis 22:1,2 : "Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' Then He said, 'Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of9 which I shall tell you.'" : Do your best to put yourself in Abraham's shoes. This son is the delight of his world, the fulfillment of God's every promise. Isaac is Abraham's dream come that had true.
- Based on the next verse, we can sumise that this was the late evening. Isaac has turned in. Sarah is asleep and God meets with Abraham for a private word.
- Immediately, Moses lets us in on God's motive. God was "testing" Abraham. The word means "to prove." God has given Abraham all that he has ever wanted. Isaac was that to him.
- What He is about to propose will prove whether Abraham is faithful because of the blessings or if he was faithful because of his relationship with God.
- Why does God allow testing in our lives? God has decreed in His word that those who are righteous, the just, shall live their lives by faith, trusting in and relying upon, God!
- Our salvation begins in faith, grows in faith and ends in faith. It is from faith to faith.
- Tests remind us that we must trust Him today! Our relationship with the Lord must and will grow. He will not leave you the way He found you!
- God’s desire in the test for Abraham and for us, is to strengthen our faith to a new level. He often gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the depth of our faith and love in tangible terms.
- The upside of testing is that with every test comes a greater degree of knowledge of the heart of God. Those who are tested are those with a testimony of God's activities and heart!
- God tests Abraham, a well worn proven believer. He is never done with us! You never outgrow the need for a test in the kingdom.
- In Abraham's case, He uses very specific test and very specific language with Abraham.
- He is to take his only son along on a journey. Ishmael was also Abraham's son. At this time, Ishmael and Hagar have gone out.
- They have been cut off from any inheritance. For all intents and purposes, Isaac is now an only child. Spiritually, the Lord refuses to bring up Ishmael, which was an act of Abraham's flesh.
- Note again the specificity. Abraham loved Isaac. This is true for any parent. For Abraham, the circumstances augmented that paternal response.
- Think back to the first time that you heard the word "love" in the Bible. Can you remember it? For those who are straining to recall, this is actually the first time that it is mentioned in the Bible!
- Finally, note the specific place. The land of Moriah. The name means "chosen by God." The test and the place where the test occurs is indeed always "chosen by God."
- Moriah is the ancient name for the area surrounding Jerusalem today.
- When they got there, Abraham would be directed where to go next. Once there, God prescribed that Isaac would be killed and offered as a burnt offering to the Lord.
- One commentator made an interesting observation here. The burnt sacrifice is different than any other sacrifice. It is a sacrifice of consecration.
- It is saying that this thing, whatever is offered, is entirely for God. Moses’ readers would have understood this.
• Genesis 22:3-5 : "So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.'" : It would seem to me that there are a few verses missing between verse 2 and 3.
- They would include the bargaining, begging and complaining that I would have been done!
- There is no record of that here. In fact, Abraham rose early and got right to it.
- Abraham had learned to trust the voice of the Lord, to trust His motives and to put himself fully into the hands of God.
- When God comes to you and asks you to lay down a dream, what's your response?
- Admit this: A part of you wants to scream, "No way. Not without an explanation!" The other part of you says, "I wish I could be that trusting." That is our flesh and spirit at war with one another!
- Let's recall that God has moved upon Abraham for over 3 decades by this time. They have a long history. Abraham has learned that God is reliable and is worthy of his trust.
- Additionally, one can say that Abraham could give here in this great way, because he has given in smaller ways along the way!
- Before being asked to give up Isaac, Abraham has left his hometown, sent his nephew and son, Lot and Ishmael respectively, away.
- Abraham gets these three guys, gets the materials needed for a burnt offering and begins the journey. When last we saw Abraham, he was in Gerar, which was a Philistine city near the sea.
- Three days in and they could see the Moriah region. The two young men stayed behind while Isaac and Abraham moved on.
- To Abraham, it was the an occasion for he and his son to worship. Notice his words: We will come back to you. Listen to Abraham's faith.
- Yes, God had called Him to sacrifice His son. But this God had also made some serious promises regarding Isaac's future. God would have to keep His promise.
- Turn over to Hebrews 11. The writer of Hebrews provides us with an excellent explanation.
• Hebrews 11:17,18 : "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, 'In Isaac your seed shall be called,' concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense."
- In Abraham's mind, the pieces fit. The math added up. The God that would call me to sacrifice a dream that He has given and delivered to me, must be able to bring it back!
- Faith is not some blind leap into nothingness. It is the logical progression of ever growing trust! With every trial, with every provision, He is proving Himself trustworthy.
II. The Son's Perspective (v.6-10)
• Genesis 22:6-8 : "So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, 'My father!' And he said, 'Here I am, my son.' Then he said, 'Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?' And Abraham said, 'My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.' So the two of them went together." : Abraham takes the wood off of the donkey and lays it on Isaac. He does not ask Him to carry it. He puts it on him. Isaac will carry the burden of the weight of the wood for the duration.
- Abraham will carry the torch and the knife. It's at this point that Isaac verbalizes what must have been going through his mind. Where was the lamb that was need to complete the sacrifice?
- Note again that this is the first mention of the word "lamb" in scripture.
- The humor in this moment is undeniable! Isaac is realizing that something is not right with this scenario. Dad has been quiet for the last couple of days.
- When he has spoken, it's been sentimental reminiscing. "Oh when you were an infant..."
- Abraham's answer assured Isaac that their trip would not end in vain. God would provide the lamb Himself. Literally, the sentence should read, "God will provide Himself the lamb."
- Keep that tucked in your memory. At this point, it seems that Isaac may have interpreted this as a "Father/Son" hunt, which would culminate in an offering.
• Genesis 22:9,10 : "Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son." : How did Abraham know that this was the place? God said that He would show him. Something must have signaled Abraham.
- Abraham got down to business. He constructed an alter and placed the wood in order. Everything was ready.
- Isaac looks over and says, "Ok, I guess it's time for some hunting, huh Dad! Uh, Dad, why are you looking at me so funny? What's with the rope? Hey, I can't move!"
- When I was younger, I imagined Abraham tricking Isaac. The old, “Hey look!” and as Isaac looked away, Abraham threw a rope around him!
- I always thought that that would be funny. However, in all seriousness, that cannot be the case. First, Abraham is potentially over 120 years old!
- Isaac is old enough to endure a 3 day journey and carry a supply of wood up a large hill and a few scholars even believe his age could be 33.
- Abraham could not have fooled Isaac into this moment, nor could he have been strong enough to force him. Isaac had to cooperate! Isaac had to agree to this.
- Looking back at the end of verse 8, the words "so the two of them went together" indicates an agreement.
- It was not the case of Isaac agreeing to help his Dad. Rather, it was Isaac choosing to lay down for the sake of His God.
- He voluntarily allowed himself this moment of full and complete surrender to the will of God. - I just want to mention something that is so important in the lives of our young people. Please understand that Isaac had faith, probably because he had watched his Dad’s faith.
- He saw the genuine article and there was the ultimate transference when Isaac was willing to lay himself on the altar of God.
- What a blessing to have this responsibility with our children. It is a glorious thing to understand we are the model for our children’s faith.
- They will watch us before they listen to a Pastor. They will read us more than their Bibles.
- The greatest success that any parent can have is the knowledge that they had led their children into the arms of the Father.
- Abraham’s faith was likely most responsible for Isaac’s action of cooperation.
- This is no fantasy. This was not a dream sequence. Abraham stretched out his hand and purposed to slay his son. He was willing to go all the way.
III. The Lord's Perspective (v.11-19)
• Genesis 22:11-14 : "But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!' So he said, 'Here I am.' And He said, 'Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.' Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, 'In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.'" : God interrupts Abraham's action. It seems that He steps in as Abraham is in the very act of carrying out His command. For Abraham, it will take an act of God to stop this.
- The words "now I know that you fear God" are interesting. It cannot be that God did not know. God knows all, from the conception of our thought, to it's completion.
- The sense is that it's been revealed fully by Abraham's actions, just how real his faith was.
- Turn over to James 2. The Apostle is writing about the nature of faith with a group of people who had come to believe that profession was enough to secure salvation.
• James 2:14-24 : "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only."
- Notice that James uses the word "fulfilled." The scripture, God's declaration of Abraham's righteousness, was shown to be valid and true when Abraham willingly laid his son down.
- In that moment, Abraham looked over and a ram was caught by it's horns in some thorns. Remember that Abraham had said that God would provide a lamb. Was he wrong? Not in the least.
- Abraham made a prophetic statement that on that very mountain, the Lord would provide Himself, He personally, would be the lamb!
- Turn over to John 1. Upon seeing Jesus for the first time, John the Baptist declared:
• John 1:29 : "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
- Both Abraham and Isaac took this ram and had a worship service. They called that place "Yahweh Provides." In that mount, it will be provided! What a fitting name!
- It's no secret that most people believe that this was the very hill upon which Christ died. Abraham here is preaching the gospel!
- In every trial and test, that can be the name that we ascribe at the end to the road that we have been on: The Lord Provides.
- He provides emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually! In the final desperate moments when the pain will be the most difficult, the Lord opens our eyes, focuses our attention and provides!
- Let me say one thing here: We won't see it until we are willing to lay down that which God calls us to lay down!
- He may ask you to lay a relationship on the altar, or some precious talent. Are you willing? - You will not see the God who provides until you do! Until you are willing to do God’s Word and until you are willing to submit yourselves to His call, you will not know the God that provides.
- Until you are ready to submit yourself to your husband or love your wife as Christ loves the church, you will not see the God who provides peace in your marriage or home.
- Until you are ready to stop fornicating with your significant other, you will not see the God who provides forgiveness.
- The God who provides, is the God who shows Himself to the one who walks in His way, and to no other.
• Genesis 22:15-19 : "Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: 'By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.' So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba." : Again, God repeats His promise to Abraham. The culmination of Abraham's faith, which began when he believed God for descendants, has passed.
- This was always the road that God intended Abraham's faith to grow toward.
- In this promise, God uses the imagery of the stars and the sand. Limitless descendancy of people who would one day be physically related to Abraham.
- And those of us tonight, who are descended in the experience of faith.
Conclusion
- Let's tie this up. From a historical, personal perspective, the simple truth is that the mountains of faith that we will climb begin with simple decisions to walk forward.
- God will be with us every step of the way and when we trust to the end, we'll see His provision.
- However, the deeper, typological significance cannot be ignored. The Father and the Son cooperated in performing the sacrifice that Abraham and Isaac only dramatized.
- Father God and Jesus Christ completed the work on the cross, the Father providing Himself as the ransom for all of our sins.
- For Abraham and God the Father, the walk there was nothing more than agonizing reality. But it was that day on the hill that brought both great joy, for in that moment, God accomplished all.
• John 8:56 : "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.'"
- What day was that? The day when His son returned to Him alive!
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